Government of Nepal Announces Sweeping Travel Restrictions

KATHMANDU: The Government of Nepal has today announced sweeping travel restrictions as a measure against COVID-19.

The Department issued the notice considering the World Health Organization’s declaration that the coronavirus outbreak was now a pandemic.

Visa-on-arrival for all foreigners entering the country through Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) immigration point has also been suspended from March 14, 2020 to April 30, 2020. A meeting of the high-level coordination committee to discuss the prevention and control of the COVID-19 outbreak held on Thursday took a decision to this effect.

All foreigners with a prior valid visa of Nepal have to submit a swab test PCR health certificate issued maximum seven days before their arrival date to Nepal and must submit at the immigration office in TIA.

Any foreign nationals including Non Resident Nepalis (NRNs) wanting to visit Nepal for important reasons may contact the Nepali diplomatic missions abroad. A recent swab test PCR health certificate issued maximum seven days before their arrival to Nepal is mandatory along with visa application and it has to submit at the TIA immigration office.

On-arrival-visa (Gratis) facility granted to Non-Resident Nepali card holders also suspended for the aforementioned period.

Drastic Measures taken by Nepali Government for quarantine foreigners

All foreign nationals entering Nepal from March 14, 2020 will be subjecting to stay in self quarantine and Nepali nationals including NRNs will be subjecting to stay in home quarantine for 14 days from the date of their arrival.

Nepali Government subjects Foreigners with diplomatic and official visa entering Nepal for the first time or travelling back to Nepal to stay in self quarantine for 14 days.

Foreigners with business, study and working visa travelling back to Nepal will subject it to stay in self quarantine for 14 days. We requests all Nepali nationals residing abroad to avoid non-essential travel. We urged them to follow high precautionary measures.

All the land ports of entry remain closed for arrival in Nepal during the aforementioned period to the foreigners from third countries and requested to use Tribhuvan International Airport only.

Likewise, all the permits for mountaineering expeditions issued for the spring season of 2020 has suspended.

As other drastic measures, the government plans to completely halt flights to and from affected countries. It will seal border points and only allow import/export of essential goods. Other measures include mobilising maximum human resources, logistics and technology in all hospitals and health centres across the country and putting in place mobile health centres, if need be.